Home remedies for beauty

It’s the winter season and your skin gets that dry, itchy feeling no matter what you do. Here’s an old recipe adapted to what we have available today and it works like a charm. You can use it in a couple of ways.

First, the oil. I grow my own rosemary outside and bring it into the kitchen when the frosts start. At this time I trim back the extra growth and dry it for use in my winter oils. I use a salad oil bottle set that is in a stand. I keep it on my bathroom shelf and use it once or twice a week. Be warned, oil in the tub can make for a slippery footing, so please be careful.

Fill the salad dressing bottle one third with baby oil, add some dried sprigs of rosemary, add 3 drops of lavender oil, and 3 drops of rosemary oil or essence of rosemary, add some vanilla if you would like [you can use a pod] add extra virgin olive oil to make the bottle 3/4 full. Shake. Leave to stand overnight. You don’t need to keep this in the fridge or to have it sealed airtight as it is only for external use. Just shake, and add a few drops to the tub. You CAN wash your hair in this as a hot oil treatment, it will help relieve itchy dry scalp, but you do have to wash it again the next morning or you will have lank hair.

The second method works well if you shower. Take dead sea salt, or kosher salt and pack tightly in a jar with a lid. Old recycled pasta sauce jars are great for this. Using a second recycled jar combine the ingredients listed in the oil recipe. Or just use some of your oil if you have made it already. Gradually add the oil until the jar is full and the salt goes a little sludgy. This is a salt scrub. The method of use is simple. Prior to showering, rub a little of the salt scrub over tough areas such as knees and elbows. Gently massage on to more delicate areas. Do not use scrubs on sensitive skin areas such as eyes. It’s salt! This will help exfoliate and refresh the skin. Then soak in tub or shower in warm water, the salt will dissolve leaving behind the oils and your skin will be fresh, rejuvenated and after a couple of uses, non-itchy.

Remember, home remedies are from traditional usage, they do not substitute for competent medical care and everyone is different. Never use anything you think might irritate or cause an allergic reaction. You know your body, use this knowledge to keep yourself safe and comfortable.